Seed-plate for planters.



G. LJSMITH. SEED PLATE FOR PLANTERS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12,1914v 1 1 3 55,636. Patented N0v. 10,1914.

- 3m uewtoo CHARLES L. SMITH, VINITA, OKLAHOMA.

SEED-PLATE FOR PLANTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed May 12, 1914. Serial No. 838,068.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Crunnns L. Snian, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Vinita, in the county of Craig and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seed- Plates for Planters, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to seed distributing mechanisms for planters and it has for its object the provision of an improved device of this nature made of two parts having overlapping flanges and so constructed that the complete article forms a plate of even thickness throughout, and combines within itself the advantages of both the round hole and the edge drop devices of this nature.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will beset forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is an underside face view of the upper section of the seed plate, Fig. '2 is a plan view of the complete seed plate, Fig. 3 is a plan View of the lower section of the plate, Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the plate, and Fig. 5 is a transverse Vertical sectional view illustrating a slightly modified form of the device.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

From the drawing it will be seen that the seed plate forming the subject matter of the present invention comprises a lower section A and an upper section B. The lower section A comprises the central boss 5 and the horizontally extending flange 6. A discharge port 7 is formed vertically through the lower member A and lies partly in part 5 and partly in flange 6.

Upper section B comprises a body-portion 8 and an inwardly extending flange 9, flange-9 overlapping and closely fitting upon flange 6 of section A. The combined thicknesses of the flanges 6 and 9 is equalto the thickness of boss 5 or body portion 8 so that the resultant structure constitutes a with the top of the lower section. The inner periphery of flange 9 is provided with a series of recesses or notches 10 said notches constituting seed chambers which during the rotation of the up er section B, successively pass over the disc arge port 7, to discharge through said port the seed contained within the said seed chambers. 1

The numeral 11 designates a pin or other stop adapted to engage the bottom. of the planter seed'box (not shown). to hold the SCt10n against rotation. rotation imparted thereto through any desired type of mechanism. The particular form of mechanism employed forms no part of the present invention. i

The invention resides particularly in the construction of the seed plate. It is intended to provide seed plates of such construction that they are adapted. to fit various tvpes of planters already on the market. The fixed central section A forms a base upon which section B revolves. The overlapping flange type of construction herein shown and described amply provides the desired mountmg for the upper section B and properly guides the same but the thickness of the flange 9 with relation to the thickness of the body portion 8 is so reduced by this type of construction that the recesses or notches 1.0 formed within the inner periphery thereof are rendered of approximately the exact size desirable to constitute seed chambers of the proper size to receive one seed at a time and to carry such seed to the discharge port 7. I urthermore the type of construction shown renders itpossible to vary the thickness of flange 9 at will without changing the thickness of the structure as a whole. it being only necessary to change the retai tive thicknesses of flanges 6 and 9 to thereby make the seed chambers shallower or deeper at will and to thereby adapt them to hold one each of varying kinds of seed. The modified form of the device shown in F ig. 5 is an illustration of a construction wherein this variation of the size of the seed chambers may be achieved without the necessity of employing seed sections A and B of. varying sizes. In other words, the sections will have at all times, the same thickness.

The variation in the size of the seed chambers is accomplished by providing washers adapted to be inserted between the flanges 6' and 9, said washers being provided with passage 10 corresponding to and alining with chambers 10, when said washers are to be used to increase the thickness of 9, but said washers are free of such recesses or notches when they are to be used to increase the thickness of flange 6.

Section B has a crease the effective thickness of flange 9 indicated at 12, will be provided with pins 18 engaging flange 9' to cause the washers 12 to rotate with the upper section B. Theother washers, that is those whose function it is to increase the effective thickness of flange 6' are indicatedat 14 and are provided with pins 15 adapted to engage in recesses formed in flange 6 or in each other to hold them from turning.

It is apparent that if all of the washers illustrated as three in number, though the number may be varied, be of the solid type illustrated at 14, the chamber 10 will be comparatively shallow while if they are all of the type illustrated at 12, that is if they are all provided with notches, 10 the seed chamber will be a comparatively deep one. Therefore, instead of changing the main plate sections A and B, it is only necessary to provide these comparatively cheap and inexpensive washers to vary their nature at will. It will of course, be necessary in the modified form of construction to form in the Washers 14 an opening registering with port 7 to prevent the obstruction of the port.

his is o course, obvious.

The fact that the seed chambers 10 are open at one side except for the presence of the periphery of boss 5, causes the seeds to readily free themselves of the chamberswhen said chamber comes over'the port 7, said port 7 being of such increased size with relatlon to chambers 10 that the seeds freely fall from said chambers.

The 1 plate herein shown and described in size, thlckness, and generalontlines, is the same as the regular one piece plate for the corn planters already on the market. It is driven by the same mechanism and fills the same recess or channel as the regular plate and no changeof parts is necessary to use this improved plate in place of the previously known plate. It is ofcourse, apparent that the desired feeding action would be had by rotatingsection A and holding sect'ron B stationary, and the invention cont'emplates such procedure. It is also-apparent that the invention contemplates the use of this devicefor feeding any character of grain.

From the foregoing description, it willbe seen that simple and eflicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the ob-.

jects of the invention, but while the elements shown 7 and described are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, but includes within its purview such changes as may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is z 1. A seed plate of the character described comprising a pair of sections each of said sections comprising a body portion and a flange, the flanges of said sections overlapping each other, the flange of one of said sections having a plurality of seed chambers formed its periphery and adjacent the body portion of the other section,and theother of said-sections having a feed port formed therethrough, said feed port lying partly in the flange of the last named section and partly in the body portion thereof.

2. A seedv plate of the character described comprising a pair of sections each of said sections comprising a body portion and a flange, the flanges of said sections overlapping each other, the flange of one of said sections having a plurality of seed chambers formed in its periphery and adjacent the body portion of the other section, and the other of said sections having a feed port formed therethrough, said feed port lying partly in the flange of the last named'section and partly in the body portion thereof, the combined thickness of said flanges being equal to the thickness of said body portion, the area of said feed port being greater {)han the area of any one of said feed chamers. v 3. A seed plate of the character described comprising a central boss and an outstanding horizontal flange there being a feed port formed through said section lying partly in said boss and partly in said flange, and an outer section comprising a body portion and an inwardly extending horizontalflange which overlaps "and rests upon the flange of the first named section, the flange of said outer section having a plurality of semicircular recesses formed in its periphery and opening at the inner edge thereof the inner periphery of said flange traveling in contact with said boss and the upper face of said outer section being flush with the upper face of-said boss.

In testlmony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

A. L. CHURCHILL, G. E. THOMAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

